Your ‘Big Dreams’ are Essential for us all
You might be wondering why we should bother to dream when life feels so chaotic right now.
I will simply offer this: to build a better world, one based on connection, equality, kinship, and compassion, it is essential that we keep following the inspiring energy of our Big Dreams to create inspired solutions to systemic problems.
I worked in public environmental policy and the federal and state government for over 20 years (and studied it in college and graduate school for 7 years before that)? I was even lucky enough to be a Park Ranger in the Everglades and Florida Keys for many years.
If I could sum up the most important thing I learned working in public service: revolutionary ideas come from inspired, creative, collaborative people working for the good of all. (Btw, it’s never the government - it’s job is to create order and maintain the ideals by which it was created)
And guess where these inspired people get their dedication and inspiration from? The energy of their Big Dreams.
Yep, that’s right, the thing your heart longs for could bring something wonderful into this world for more people than just you - if you choose to breathe life into it and allow it to move you.
Can you trust yourself to create something new in your life from a place of inspiration?
You can never tell how life will unfold when you do… who you might inspire or what small change leads to a larger revolution simply by showing up authentically as yourself for your job, your family, your community, or a friend.
2022: Following one of my Big Dreams: Solo camping in Cataloochee Valley, NC to be in the company of elk and the mountains - this trip is where most of the nature photography came from for this website!
Sometimes we cling to what we know so fiercely it squeezes the life out of possibility.
It prevents us from following our big dreams, because our fear of failure in the face of the unknown is greater than the slow death of living a life that suffocates our creativity and inspiration.
If we hold tight to life with a closed fist of certainty, it prevents us from opening up to new opportunities because they don’t fit into our narrow view of the world.
When was the last time you had a dream so foreign or big it scared you? 😳
The kind that makes you a little sweaty and nervous to say it out loud to someone else?
But at the same time, you feel your heart leap in excitement and you can feel a sense of purpose even if you can’t explain it. (Learn a new skill/hobby/language? Move to another town/state/country? Buy land? Start a business? Organize a group? Start traveling in an RV? Start a podcast or blog?)
Do you shut it down (“now isn’t a good time”), or do you softly fan it’s embers and allow yourself to feel into the reality of what that Big Dream could bring into your life (what if…”) ?
And here’s something most people won’t tell you: those Big Dreams, they have a life of their own, they are calling to you for a reason, so if you shut them down, the energy goes into hibernation, waiting for you to make them reality.
And it can build up over time if you say “No” more than “Yes.” You may start to notice it first in your feelings as if you’re “just going through the motions of life”… then burnout, depression, or anxiety are common.
Let the energy build for years and you could start to find physical symptoms creep in… stomach/digestive issues, low energy, neck/back pain, autoimmune issues…
At some point, your soul will find a way to wake you up to your Big Dreams that are a soul calling in your life.
If the personal stuff doesn’t do it, then you might find something outside you forces it - a job loss, a natural disaster, a relationship ending, or the arrival of a new family member.
I share this from a place of personal lived experience… when I couldn’t feel joy or the energy to do much of anything anymore, it pushed me to study holistic forms of healing (body, mind, spirit, and heart) to help me understand why.
I discovered a treasure trove of dreams I had been denying for decades.
Recently, I tapped back into one of those Big Dreams that’s been waiting on me for nearly 20 years: moving to Western North Carolina to steward land and work with horses. And I’ll be honest, the thought of moving my whole family to another state (and way of life) felt terrifying at first.
2024: Breathing life into my long-time Big Dream (stewarding Land and horses in the mountains) with art.
Could I trust myself enough to follow a soul calling I couldn’t rationally explain?
Seasonal Astrology was one of these modalities I studied that helped me understand how I was wired, so I could begin to understand when my Big Dreams really needed to be followed (“move to WNC!”), and which ones were stories my ‘Civilized Mind’ was telling me I “should” be doing (“move to the beach!”).
So when I really sat with my Big WNC Dream and worked with the feelings around moving to the country, I could see how much the fear was really my own Ego. I was scared of starting over and moving somewhere I wouldn’t feel like an “expert” anymore.
And when I could see that clearly, it opened the door to all the possibilities for growth and learning and joy that would be possible for me and my kids.
When we get really clear on what we want and the motivation under it, then we can ask to see the next right step to getting us there with grace.
Because these Big Dreams from your soul will rarely follow a linear process or timeline. 🌀
I know - I spent three years studying dreamwork practices from around the world and then taught others how to work with the inspiration of their dreams in waking life.
When you can step into the mindset of following the next step that feels right, you’ll find there is a quality of flow; doors will open and people will cross your path that you couldn’t have planned for.
And sure, it took 3 hurricanes to finally open the doors to get everyone (including my ex-husband I co-parent with) to North Carolina, but I can see how the linear path my mind laid out to please everyone else would not have gotten me where I truly needed to be.
2025: Delighting in my first WNC winter at my temporary home.
I find myself nearly an hour West of where I expected (and had previously said no to), but am delighted to find it’s exactly where I truly need to be.
I can feel that the Land and homestead that are meant to be a haven for my family and my work is getting closer each time I say “Yes” to what inspires me and feels right.
And even though I can’t see around the next bend in the trail, I am finally finding peace and trust in the process of inspired living now that I’ve let go of needing to know all the steps in a linear path before me.
What if today was the day you said 'Yes' to the call of your Big Dream?
Can you trust yourself to take the first inspired step on the path you were always meant to follow?
✨ If you're feeling that nudge to reconnect with your Big Dreams but aren't sure where to start, you're not alone. Sometimes it helps to have a guide who can help you listen to the wisdom of your soul and the natural rhythms of life.
🌙 Through personalized sessions, classes, and Seasonal Catalyst Circles, I support soul-driven change-makers in aligning their lives with what truly inspires them. If you're ready to explore your next inspired step, I'd love to walk with you on that journey.
💌 Send me a message or check out my upcoming offerings to see what feels right for you.